Railway-switch lock



(No Model.)

J. V. ERIGSON. RAILWAY SWITCH LOGK.

310.462.828. Patented Nov. 10,1891.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN V. ERICSON, OF ESCANABA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO I). M. :PIIILBIN, OF MARQUETTE, MICHIGAN.

RAI LWAY-SWITCH LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 462,828, dated November 10, 1.891.

. Application filed June 10, 1891. Serial No- 395,802. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN V. ERIcsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Escanaba, in the county of Delta and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Railway-Switch Locks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a locking device for the operating-lever in a railway-switch,

and is intended particularly to be applied to a locking-lever having a jointed connection with the switch-operating rod.

The object of my invention is primarily to effect an improvement in key-operated locks for the purpose named which are made to lock automatically and to unlock on the insertion of a key with the proper wards and configuration; and the further object of my invention is to provide a readily releasable 2o catch for the throw-arm by which the operation of the lock may be prevented to enable the switch to be operated from rail to rail without necessitating an unlocking at each throw, but which by an easily-performed op eration will permit the lock to be automatically effected.

To the above ends my invention consists, primarily, in a switch-stand provided with a catch located contiguous to the inner ex- 0 tremity of the throw-arm operating by impingement against the throw-arm to prevent turning of the latter on its pivot when down, and adapted by the action of an inserted key to be moved out of impingement against the arm, thereby permitting the'latter to be ele vated; and my invention consists, secondarily, in the combination, with a pivoted throw-arm and a locking-catch therefor, of a readily-releasable catch adapted automati- 0 cally or otherwise to engage the throw-arm and prevent its being locked by the automatic lock; and my invention consists, finally, in the general and specific details of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the drawings, which represents my invention as applied to a vertical switch-stand, Figure 1 is a view in elevation on a switchstand provided with my improvement. Fig.

2 is a plan view of the top plate of the switchstand. Fig. 3 is a plan view taken'on the line 3 of Fig. 1 and viewed in the direction of the arrow. o Fig. 4.- is a central vertical section taken through the lock-carrying box and showing the locking device in elevation. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the throw-arm. Fig. (5 is a perspective view of a section of the upper plate, showing the lateral stop for the throw-arn1 and the notch for the latter.

A represents the base, 13 the upright, C the top plate, and D the vertical operating-rod, of an ordinary vertical switch stand, the parts named being of common construction, except as to the top plate 0, presently described in detail. Keyed to revolve with the vertical rod D, and located to move freely upon the top plate 0, is the lock-box E, open at the bottom, as shown, and provided with a top plate F, in which is formed a beveled recess t. The top plate F may be remova- 7o ble, if desired, and instead of being provided with the recess 2? may be further removed from the upper arm of the cat-ch G, presently described. A pivot-pin 5 passes through the box E near its lower outer edge, and on this pin is carried the operating or throw arm II. The arm II is provided on its upper face with the shoulder 0', which may be conveniently formed by cutting the beveled recess 'r, as shown, and is also provided with the reduced part 19 and shoulder 13. Mounted near the upper inner corner of the box E is an angular catch G, the upper plate of which is adapted to enter the recess t in the plate F when the catch is turned, while when in its normal horizontal position the upper plate 0 is adapted to impinge against the upper lateral edge '21 of the throw-arm H when the latter is in a vertical position. The depending part 0 of the catch G may be pro- 0 vided with recesses or wards, or may be straight, as shown, to be adapted to be operated by the insertion of a vkey I, (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4,) said key I being inserted through the key-hole I. (Shown in Fig. I.)

Pivoted near the upper outer edge of the box E and adapted to swing freely upon the pivot is the catch K, the lower part of which is provided with the shoulder m. The ar- IOO rangement of the catch K and lever H is such that the shoulder m on theformer may engage the shoulder r on the latter when the throw-arm has reached a point somewhat out of the vertical line, at which time the upper plate 0 of the catch Grests upon the inner extremity of the throw-arm. \Vhen in this position it is obvious the catch G fails to operate to prevent lifting of the throw-arm, whlch may therefore be returned to a horizontal position and move from side to side of the plate C, thus turning the rod B; and by reason of the adjacent pivoting of the catch I K and arm 1-1 and a tendency of the former in assuming a verticalline by gravity to'slide upon and remain in contact with the arm, unless the catch K shall be held away from the arm, the latter will be prevented by engagement of the shoulders from assuming a vertical line. By lifting the catch K from engagement with the arm H, however, the latter assumes a vertical position, permitting the top plate 0 to assume a horizontal posit1on and impinge against the lateral edge 'n ofthe arm, thus preventing the latter from being again returned to a horizontal position until the catch G is released.

The top plate C is provided With notches l, re-enforced underneath the plate by ears Z, andat the lateral edges of the plate G stops 1. act to limit the throw of the arm. It is obvious that as many notches Z may be provided in the plate C as the requirements of the switch may render necessary.

The operation of the device will be readily apprehended from the above description, and it may be stated that my invention is not limited to specific configuration or arrangement of details, particularly in the matter of the catch G, except to the extent that such limitation may be specifically named in the claims which follow.

lVhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is'

1. The combination, with the switch-stand and its switch-operating arm, of a lockingcatch to engage and lock the arm, and a releasable retaining-catch adapted to engage V oted locking-catch adapted to lock the arm 7 against movement, and a releasable retainingcatch adapted to engage the arm and prevent it being locked, substantially as described.

3. In a switch -stand, in combination, a pivoted throw-arm H, box E, carrying the throw-arm and connecting it with the operating-rod, and a key-operated gravity-catch carried by the box and located near the inner end of the throw-arm and adapted to engage the lateral edge of the throw-arm Within the box to lock the same, substantially as described.

4. In a switch-stand, in combination with the vertically-moving pivoted throw-arm H, a readily-releasable gravity-catch K, arranged to engage the throw-arm, substantially as described.

5. In a switch-stand, in combination with the rod D, the box IE, carried by the switchrod, a key-operated locking-catch G, and releasable catch K, and a vertically-moving throw-arm II, pivoted to the box, substantiall y as described.

6. In a switch-stand, in combination with the rod D, the box E, keyed with the rod to operate the same, the catch K, pivoted in the box and having the shoulder m, and the arm H, pivoted in the box and having the shoulder r, substantially as described.

7'. In a switch-stand, the combination of the following elements: rod D, top plate 0, having the notches and lateral stops, box E, with the rod D to revolve same, key-operated gravity-catch G, readily-releasable gravity-catch K, and pivoted throw-arm H, the parts being arranged to operate substantially as described.

JOHN V. ERICSON.

In presence ot' WM. R. NORTHUP, M. E. NORTHUP. 

